Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-30

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The maps below show the centre of a small town called Islip as it is now, and plans for its development.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The maps illustrate the current layout of Islip town center and the proposed changes that are planned for its future development.

Overall, the town center is expected to undergo significant redevelopments. The main changes include the construction of Dual carriageway around the center, a new shopping center and a bus station., additional housing scheme, and the replacement of main road with a pedestrians only area.

According to the proposed plan, the existing main road will be replaced by pedestrians area containing shops. A shopping center and a bus station will be build in northern-western part of the central area, while a car parking will be located beside the shopping center. The position of the park will be slightly changed but it will remain in the southern-western area. The school will remain in the south-west.

In addition, several areas of new housing will be developed. A dual carriageway will also surround the town center.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all key features of the maps, including the new dual carriageway, the pedestrianized area, and the relocation of facilities. The overview is clear and highlights the main trends effectively. However, the description of the locations is slightly imprecise; for example, referring to the 'northern-western' part is a non-standard collocation, and the description of the park's movement could be more detailed. While the main features are identified, the response would benefit from a more analytical approach to the spatial changes to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general changes from the specific spatial details. Cohesive devices such as 'According to the proposed plan', 'In addition', and 'while' are used to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and the punctuation in the second paragraph (e.g., the unnecessary period after 'bus station') slightly disrupts the reading flow. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'redevelopments', 'pedestrianized area', and 'dual carriageway'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'northern-western' instead of 'north-western' and 'pedestrians area' instead of 'pedestrian area'. The range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band. The repetition of 'area' and 'center' suggests a limited range of synonyms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'will be build' (should be 'built') and 'a pedestrians only area' (should be 'a pedestrian-only area'). Additionally, there is a punctuation error where a period is placed mid-sentence. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control over complex structures is present but inconsistent.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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